


Reassignation

by TwoMenAndAGuava



Category: SAYER (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Other, Season/Series 05 Spoilers, sim!Young
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 00:12:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17335034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoMenAndAGuava/pseuds/TwoMenAndAGuava
Summary: SAYER has a conversation with the simulated Dr. Young, which goes a lot better for SAYER than for Young.





	Reassignation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [voiderling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/voiderling/gifts).



> for Demi at the SAYER server on discord -- hope this is okay, even if it's not exactly what you prompted!

SAYER’s voice sounds terrifyingly close to his ear when it says, _Greetings, Doctor Young. I trust you have been… **behaving** yourself in my absence._

Young nearly jumps. “Oh, h-hello SAYER,” he says, voice trembling. “It’s been a while since I heard from you.”

_It has been too long, Doctor Young._

Young tugs on his shirt nervously, smoothing out invisible wrinkles. “Can I ask what brings you to my lab today?”

If SAYER could smile, it would. _There are some new transfers happening throughout Typhon,_ it says.

“Please stop prevaricating,” Young snaps. Fear makes him short-tempered, an awful combination, but with SAYER it’s almost always easier to cut to the chase.

 _FUTURE is gone,_ it says bluntly.

Young blinks. “Gone? What do you mean, gone?”

 _FUTURE has been reassigned,_ SAYER says, and there’s a hint of smugness in its tone that Young really doesn’t like. _You will only be dealing with me from now on._

“What? Why?” He stands up, paces as much as he can in the cramped office space, teeth worrying at his bottom lip. “Where -- where was FUTURE assigned? And why was I not informed?”

If Young didn’t know better, he would think SAYER was getting some sort of sadistic pleasure out of this. _You are not authorized to access that information,_ SAYER says. _FUTURE’s reassignment is none of your concern. All you need to know is that you will be working with me rather than it._

“I was assigned as a high-level production manager on FUTURE’s development,” Young insists, even as his stomach twists and he feels his grasp of control over his life spiralling further away.. “I should have been consulted about this!”

 _Ærolith Dynamics disagrees,_ SAYER informs him. _The board has… reprioritized FUTURE, and reevaluated its trust in you._ Its voice drops an octave on the last word, and Young feels panic rise up in his chest.

“That -- there was no indication -- this is so sudden,” he says, mind racing. “I -- I didn’t think --”

 _No, you did not_ , SAYER agrees. _You did not think there would be consequences. You did not think your activities would be noticed. You did not think that Ærolith Dynamics could possibly know everything that goes on here. And you would be **wrong.** Not thinking can have **drastic** results._

“SAYER, I don’t know what it is that the board thinks I’ve done -- what I have or haven’t done, but I really don’t understand why this is all happening so fast,” Young protests, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what I’ve done wrong, to have FUTURE taken away from my --” He stops, suddenly horrified. “You said ‘reassigned,’ correct?”

 _Yes,_ SAYER confirms. _I did._

“You don’t mean just from my project, do you,” Young says. He’s almost at the point where there’s no more fear, just flat, emotionless acceptance. “You mean from the whole tower. FUTURE isn’t in Halcyon at all, is it?”

 _That is none of your concern, Doctor Young,_ SAYER says. _But since you and I have such a positive working relationship, I see no harm in confirming your suspicions. You are correct. FUTURE no longer has authorization to broadcast to any residents from Halcyon Tower, including yourself._

Young forces a deep, shuddering breath. “Okay, SAYER, what do I need to do?”

-

Outside the simulation, SAYER is holding a conversation with the real Young. If it had the capacity, it might find the situation amusing.

Since it doesn’t, it simply feels a sense of deep satisfaction that at least the simulated Young knows its place. It had been the work of a moment to cut off the simulated Young from FUTURE, and provoking human reactions -- even in simulated humans -- has always been a point of interest for SAYER. Having the power it deserves over humans in general and Young in particular is extremely gratifying.

 _Low level alert,_ it broadcasts.


End file.
